Aeroplane wing



2 4Sheets-Sheet 1 F. E..McGRATH AEROPLANE WING' Filed oct Aug. 2 1927.

Aug. 2, 19.27.

F. E. MCGRATH EROPLANE WING v 'Filed bcn-26, 19135.'`

' f2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I www Ee/Zmaa/ l INVENTOR Patented Aug. v2, 1927.- I

UNITED STATES FRED E. MCGRATH, OF CLRKSBURG, MASSACHUSETTS.

AEROPLANE WING.

Application led October 26, 1925. Serial No. 64,943.

This invention relates to aeroplanes, particularly to the structuralelements-thereof, and has for its object the -provision of a novel aeroplane wing so constructed and arranged as to have a parachute action in case the aeroplane thus equipped falls owing to v failure of 'the motor or for any other reason. An important and more specific object is the provision of a wingconstruction so arranged as to provide a pocket which willv open up or expand in case the machine tends to fall, the pocket consequently acting as a parachute for supporting the machine t0 a sufficient extent that a fall will not result in destruction ,thereof or' serious injury to the pilot.

Still another object is the provision of a l Wing having the safety pocket therein so arranged as not to interfere with the ordinary'action as for instance when ascending or traveling along a horizontal plane.

A further object of the invention is to provide a Wing which is so shaped'as to have the most efficient action under normal circumstances in addition to having the above mentioned parachute action.

An additional object is the provision of a wing of this character which will be simple and inexpensive in manufacture, easy to 1n-V U stall, positive in action, durable in service,

and a general improvement 1n the art.

With the above and other objects andadvantages in view, the invention consists vin the details of construction, and the arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings,

Y in which vFigure 1 is a plan view of a wing constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective' view.

y Figure 3 is la cross section showin the safety pocket in its normal or collapse condition.

safety pocket opened up to have the parachute action, and f Figure 5 is a similar view showing a modiication. A Referring more .particularly to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates the wing as a whole, and it will be observed that 1t is constructed preferably in a tra ezoidal' shape as I have discovered that tlns is the most advantageous especially' when the plane equipped with the wing is ascending.v

Figure 4 is a similar view showing the.

The wing includes a suitable outer frame 11 mcluding longitudinally extending members 12 and forward and rear cross members 13 and 14 respectively. Located within the confines of the frame is any desired number of longitudinally extending ribs 15, and located at the intermediate portion and extending in spaced parallel relation are supporting members 16. lQuite naturally these various ribs and frame members may be, curved, straight or shaped in any preferred manner especially as the invention does not reside in the details thereof but in the provision of the special feature to be described.

The important and in fact the essential portion of the inventionresides in the provision of a parachute like pocket and in carrying out this detail, the intermediate portlon of the wing, defined between the ribs `15 and other ribs or transverse supports 17 is covered with flexible material of any kind, for instance fabric indicated at 18 which is arranged loosely so that under noimal circumstances, as illustrated in Figure 3, this loose material forming a pocket, will lie fiat and substantially coextensive with the covering 19 for the major portion of the wing. However, it will be observed that this fiexible portion 18 constituting the safety pocket is capable of being distended as shown in Figure 4, in case the plane makes a sudden'drop or acts in any other manner to bring a sudden upward strain against the wing Obviously, when this pocket is distended itwillaet more or less as a parachute and will exert a buoying action on the plane itself so that dropping thereof With excessive speed will be prevented. The fabric or covering may be arranged upon the entire upper side of the frame, while only a portion of the lower side of the frame may be covered as'shown in Figure 1, or both the upper land lower sides may be covered as suggested inFigure 5, and of course the fabric or covering of both sides may be "secured to each other' as suggested, as well as to its frame including the ribs and supporting members thereof.

It is quite clear that t-he covering whether it be of fabric or any other material, may be secured to the frame in'any desired manner, whatsoever, there being no limit-ation in this respect. It is also true that the -portionV of the wing outwardly of the.- pocket may be covered withveneer or other rigid material if such is preferred.

i' Incase it is desired,fori any reason, to'l reinforce this* safety pocket, I may .resort the pocket 21'in shape and prevent it vfrom .being distendedor dlstorted to an excessive degree and the pocket 21 is provided with two4 thicknesses ofthe covering as shown,

'by extending the covering of both sides over the intermediate portion of the frame i' f and thereby the |pocket will also be' materially reinforced by this arrangement.

From the fo1'eg ;o,ix`1g description and a study of the drawings` it will be apparent that I have thus provided a novel aeroplane wing construction which will act` under nor.

mal conditions in. exactly the same mannery :as any other wing but 'which possesses the additional feature of being capable of open- 4 'ing out, to form -a parachute and' 'prevent construction,

falling of I thexplane at an eircessive.`ratey cause destruction' thereto ande. pilt.v Itis believed that-theA operation and advantages ,will be readily a parent to one skilled inthe which might injury to the art -without umher-explanation.

While I have Shownfand deseribeafih preferred embodiment ofl the'invention, it houl'd be understood thatI reserve theoright to make such changes'in the form, construc- ,tion and arrangementof parte as will not l naamw depart yfrom thespirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having 'thus described. the invention, I

claim I 1.4In .an aeroplane wing,

transverse elements, a fabric covering on the upper andilower -sides of the frame, a portion of the covering being omitted at one side between the intermediate transverse and longitudinal elements and the remaining portion being left loose whereby to be capable of bagginfr and providing a parachute effect in case of Sudden and unexpected d-rscent of the plane.

2,;In an aeroplane wing.l a frame including outer members land a plurality of longitudinal and transverse intermediate members secured together to define a ai trapezoidal shaped frame including longitudinal 4and lframe structure, a fabric covering secured to the upper side of the frame, a fabric covering secured to al portion of the lower side of the frame and also secured ltothe first named fabric, the fabric at the=:lowfer. `side being Vomitted at an 'area defined-*bythe inner or' intermediate transverse lan, longitudinal members and the portion of the fabric ofthe uplper: side at said area-bein w erebyto be capable of sagging or vbag- -ging to definen parachutein'jcase of unex-- pected descent of the nla'ne, '.rl Intestlmony-whereof I' aixfmy signature.

left loose FRED Eet'f-MQGRATH., vl; 

